Adjustable Length Clothing

ABSTRACT

A unitary garment having arm sleeves or pants legs in which the length of the arm sleeves or pants legs is selectively adjustable by the user. The arm sleeves or pants legs of the garment include upper and lower sections and an intermediate section therebetween. The intermediate section includes a fabric integrally extending between the upper and lower sections, and matching the fabric of the arms or legs of the garment, and a storage compartment with a closure element for receiving the fabric of the intermediate section in a folded state. The length of the arm sleeves or pants legs of the garment is at a minimum when the fabric of the intermediate section is folded in the storage compartment, and is at a maximum when the fabric is released from the storage compartment. The unitary garment enables the user to selectively adjust the length of the arm sleeves or pants legs without physically attaching or detaching extension sections to the arms and legs, and without the use of separate external adjustment components. The length of the main body of the garment can also be selectively adjustable by the user in the same manner as the arm sleeves or pants legs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to clothing, including pants, shirts, skirts, dresses, and footwear, having means for selectively adjusting the length of the legs or arms of a garment. Known garments having adjustable arms and legs require the physical attachment or detachment of separate extension sections, or the use of separate external adjustment components to selectively adjust the length of the garment, its arm, or its pants legs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed garments having leg or arm sections that have lengths which are selectively adjustable by the user. The arm sleeves or pants legs of the garment have upper and lower areas, and an intermediate area disposed between the upper and lower areas. The intermediate area includes a predetermined length of fabric matching the fabric of the upper and lower areas, and a storage compartment with a closure element for storing the fabric of the intermediate area. When the length of the arm, sleeves or pants legs is to be at a maximum length, the entire intermediate fabric is released from the storage compartment, while when the arm sleeves or pants legs is to be at a minimum length, the entire intermediate fabric is stored within the storage compartment. Several different storage compartments and corresponding intermediate fabric can be provided to selectively adjust the length of the arm sleeves or pants legs to lengths between the maximum or minimum. The garment enables adjustment of the length of the arm sleeves and pants legs so that the same garment can be used for a child as the child grows. The length of the main body of the garment can be selectively adjustable by the user in the same manner as the arm sleeves and pants legs. The adjustment of the length of the arm sleeves, pants legs, and the main body of the garment is made without the need to physically attach or detach separate arm and leg segments of fabric to or from the garment, and without the use of separate external adjustment components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-3 of the drawing illustrate a pair of pants in accordance with the present invention showing a sequential increase in the length of the pants legs;

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate a sweater or sweatshirt in accordance with the present invention showing a sequential increase in the length of the arm sleeves; and

FIGS. 7-8 illustrate the sweater or sweatshirt illustrated by FIGS. 4-6 showing a sequential increase in the length of the overall garment in addition to the increase in the length of the arm sleeves.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As illustrated by FIGS. 1-3 of the attached drawing, the legs 4 of a pair of pants 2 are pleated or folded at different predetermined positions 6 along the length of the pants legs.

The pleated or folded sections of the pants legs are attached to each other by attachment or closure means 8 such as zippers, VELCRO, snaps, adhesive materials, or any other suitable attachment or closure elements. The adjacent attached sections of the pants legs form internal pockets 10 in which additional folded garment fabric or material is stored. The additional garment material is integrally attached to, and extends from, adjacent upper and lower sections of the pants legs.

FIG. 1 illustrates the pants when all zippers 8 are closed, which retains the additional folded fabric within the storage pockets 10 between the adjacent upper and lower sections of the pants legs. In this configuration, the length of the pants legs is minimum. When a top zipper is opened as shown in FIG. 2, the additional fabric attached between the top and the intermediate sections of the pants legs is released from the internal pocket between these two sections, and adds to the length of the pants legs. In this configuration, the pants legs are at an intermediate length. When the lower zipper is opened as illustrated by FIG. 3 of the drawing, additional folded fabric between the intermediate and lower pants legs sections is released from the internal pocket between these two sections, and the length of the pants legs is further increased to a maximum length.

Although the drawings illustrates three different pants legs sections, this is for illustrative purposes only. The number of pants legs sections can be increased or decreased, thereby allowing the user to more precisely determine the range of selective adjustment that can be made to the length of the pants legs.

Additionally, although the drawings illustrate that the increase in length of the pants legs between different sections is equal, the increase in the length of the pants legs between different sections can vary by selectively varying the length of the additional fabric stored between adjacent pants leg sections.

The pants illustrated by FIGS. 1-3 advantageously are formed from a unitary garment having separate adjustable pants legs sections attached to each other, and additional foldable garment fabric attached to, and integrally extending from, the ends of adjacent sections of each pants leg. This arrangement avoids the need to physically connect or attach different and separate leg sections/extensions together when increasing the length of the pants, or to physically disconnect or detach different and separate leg sections from each other when decreasing the length of the pants.

The adjustable length pants in accordance with the present invention are preferably adapted for use by infants and toddlers so that the same pants can be used for the same infants as the infants grow, or for use by a different infant or toddler after the original user has outgrown them.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate the present invention applied to the arms of a garment, such as a sweater or sweatshirt. FIG. 4 illustrates a sweatshirt 12 in which the length of the arm sleeves 14 is at a minimum. FIG. 5 illustrates the sweatshirt after a lower zipper 16 has been opened, and a length of fabric stored between a bottom section of the arm sleeve and an adjacent intermediate section of the arm sleeve has been released, so that the arm sleeves are at an intermediate length. FIG. 6 illustrates the sweatshirt in which both an upper zipper 18 and the lower zipper 16 have been opened so that fabric between adjacent ends of the intermediate sleeve section and both the upper and lower sleeves sections have been released so that the arm sleeves are at a maximum length. As discussed with regard to the pants legs of FIGS. 1-3, the number of arm sleeve sections and the length of the fabric stored between adjacent arm sleeve sections can be selectively varied, to vary the range of selective adjustment of the length of the different arm sleeve sections available to the wearer.

FIGS. 7-8 illustrate the sweater or sweatshirt shown by FIGS. 4-6, further modified so that the length of the main body of the sweater or sweatshirt is also selectively adjustable, in addition to adjusting the length of the arm sleeves of the garment. FIG. 7 illustrates the sweater or sweatshirt in which the arm sleeves 14 are extended to a maximum length, but the main body 12 of the garment is at a minimum length. FIG. 8 illustrates the sweater or sweatshirt when the arm sleeves 14 are extended to a maximum length and the main body 12 is extended to a maximum length by opening a horizontal zipper 20 near the bottom of the garment to release fabric stored between upper and lower adjacent sections of the main body of the garment. It is of course also possible to extend the length of the arm sleeves of the garment without extending the length of the main body of the garment, or to extend the length of the main body of the garment without extending the length of the arm sleeves of the garment, at the selection of the user.

The inventive concept discussed herein with respect to pants, sweatshirts, and sweaters, is equally applicable to other types of clothing including but not limited to footwear, skirts, jackets, shirts, sweaters, socks, and dresses. It is also applicable to clothing for pet animals.

The invention also encompasses methods of manufacturing the adjustable length garments disclosed herein.

As noted above, although the different garment sections/fabric extensions are shown as being equal in length, this is for illustrative purposes and not restrictive of the inventive concept in which the extension sections can be equal in length, different in length, or a combination of both.

Additionally, the number of sections of extensions shown in the drawing are for illustrative purposes only, and are not restrictive of the scope of the invention.

As also noted above, each embodiment is formed from a unitary integral garment in which the different sections of the garment and the different folded and pleated fabric extensions stored between adjacent sections of the garment are directly and integrally attached to each other and to the main body of the garment for selectively adjusting the length/size of the garment or portions thereof without having to physically attach or detach the extensions to or from the garment itself.

The garment does not require the physical attachment or detachment of separate extension sections to selectively adjust the length of the garment, its arm sleeves or pants legs. Additionally, the selective adjustment of the length of the unitary integral garment, its arm sleeves, or its pants legs, is accomplished without the use of any separate external adjustment components.

Although the present inventive concept has been discussed herein with respect to clothing for infants and toddlers, it is equally applicable to clothing for preteen adolescents, teenagers, and adults.

Accordingly, the discussion of the best modes for carrying out the invention with the respect to the drawings of this patent application is intended to be illustrative only and not restrictive of the scope of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is defined only by the following claims and all equivalents thereto. 

1. A unitary garment having a main body and a pair of arm sleeves or a pair of pants legs extending from the main body portion, said pair of arm sleeves or, said pair of pants legs having at least one upper and one lower section of fabric joined together by an intermediate section, said intermediate section comprising an intermediate fabric extending integrally between the upper and lower sections of fabric, said intermediate section comprising a storage compartment defined by a closure element for selectively storing said intermediate fabric therein, wherein said pair of arm sleeves or said pair of pants legs have a predetermined minimum length when the intermediate fabric is stored within the storage compartment and said closure element is closed and said pair of arm sleeves have a predetermined maximum length when said closure demerit is open and the intermediate fabric is released from said storage compartment.
 2. The unitary garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body portion of the garment has at least an upper and a lower section of fabric joined together by an intermediate section, said intermediate section comprising an intermediate fabric extending integrally between the upper and lower sections of fabric, said intermediate section comprising a storage compartment defined by a closure element for selectively storing said intermediate fabric therein, wherein said main body portion of the garment has a predetermined minimum length when the intermediate fabric is stored within the storage compartment and said closure element is closed and said main body portion of the garment has a predetermined maximum length when said closure element is open and the intermediate fabric is released from said storage compartment.
 3. The unitary garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pair of arm sleeves or said pair of pants legs includes more than one upper and one lower section of fabric, and an intermediate section between each adjacent upper and lower section of fabric, each said intermediate section comprising an intermediate fabric extending integrally between each adjacent upper and lower section of fabric, each said intermediate section comprising a storage compartment defined by a closure element for selectively storing said intermediate fabric therein, wherein the length of said pair of arm sleeves or said pair of pants legs is selectively adjustable between different lengths by releasing the intermediate fabric from one or more of the storage compartments between one or more adjacent upper and lower sections of fabric.
 4. The unitary garment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the main body portion of the garment includes more than an one upper and one lower section of fabric, and an intermediate section between each adjacent upper and lower section of fabric, each said intermediate section comprising an intermediate fabric extending integrally between each adjacent upper and lower sections of fabric, each said intermediate section comprising a storage compartment defined by a closure element for selectively storing said intermediate fabric therein, wherein the length of said main body portion of the garment is selectively adjustable between different lengths by releasing the intermediate fabric from one or more of the storage compartments between one or more adjacent upper and lower sections of fabric.
 5. The unitary garment as claimed in claim 3, wherein the intermediate fabric extending integrally between each adjacent upper and lower section of fabric is of a different length.
 6. The unitary garment as claimed in claim 3, wherein the intermediate fabric extending integrally between each adjacent upper and lower section of fabric is of the same different length.
 7. The unitary garment as claimed in claim 4, wherein the intermediate fabric extending integrally between each adjacent upper and lower section of fabric is of a different length.
 8. The unitary garment as claimed in claim 4, wherein the intermediate fabric extending integrally between each adjacent upper and lower section of fabric is of the same length.
 9. The unitary garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closure element is a zipper.
 10. The unitary garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closure element is an adhesive material.
 11. The unitary garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closure element comprises snaps.
 12. A unitary garment having a main body and a pair of arm sleeves or a pair of pants legs extending from the main body portion, said pair of arm sleeves or said pair of pants legs having at least one upper and one lower section of fabric joined together by an intermediate section, said intermediate section comprising an intermediate fabric extending integrally between the upper and lower sections of fabric, said intermediate section comprising a storage compartment defined by a closure element for selectively storing said intermediate fabric therein, wherein said pair of arm sleeves or said pair of pants legs have a predetermined minimum length when the intermediate fabric is stored within the storage compartment and said closure element is closed and said pair of arm sleeves have a predetermined maximum length when said closure element is open and the intermediate fabric is released from said storage compartment; and wherein the main body portion of the garment has at least an upper and a lower section of fabric joined together by an intermediate section, said intermediate section comprising an intermediate fabric extending integrally between the upper and lower sections of fabric, said intermediate section comprising a storage compartment defined by a closure element for selectively storing said intermediate fabric therein, wherein said main body portion of the garment has a predetermined minimum length when the intermediate fabric is stored within the storage compartment and said closure element is closed and said main body portion of the garment has a predetermined maximum length when said closure element is open and the intermediate fabric is released from said storage compartment; wherein the length of said pair of arm sleeves or said pair of pants legs, and the length of the main body portion of the garment are selectively adjustable without physically attaching or detaching fabric to or from the garment, and without the use of any external adjustment components.
 13. A method of manufacturing a unitary garment having arm sleeves or pants legs which are selectively adjustable in length, the steps of said method including: providing a unitary garment having a main body and pair of arm sleeves or a pair of pants legs; forming at least one upper section and one lower section of the pair of arm sleeves or the pair of pants legs; forming an intermediate section of fabric integrally extending between the upper and lower sections of the pair of arm sleeves or the pair of pants legs; and providing a storage compartment defined by a closure element for said intermediate section of fabric such that selectively opening said closure element releases said intermediate section of fabric to increase the length of said pair of arm sleeves or said pair of pants legs.
 14. The method as claimed in clam 13, further including the step of: forming more than one upper and lower section of the pair of arm sleeves or the pair of pants legs; forming an intermediate section of fabric integrally extending between each adjacent upper and lower section of the pair of arm sleeves or the pair of pants legs; and providing a storage compartment defined by a closure element for each said intermediate section of fabric between each adjacent upper and lower section of the pair of arm sleeves or the pair of pants legs such that selectively opening said closure elements to release one or more of said intermediate sections selectively adjusts the increase to the length of said pair of arm sleeves or said pair of pants legs.
 15. The method as claimed in clam 13, further including the step of: forming at least one upper section and one lower section of the main body of said garment; forming an intermediate section of fabric integrally extending between the upper and lower sections of said main body; and providing a storage compartment defined by a closure element for said intermediate section of fabric such that selectively opening said closure element to release said intermediate section of fabric increases the length of said main body.
 16. The method as claimed in clam 14, further including the step of: providing said intermediate section of fabric between each adjacent section of said pair of arms or said pair of legs with fabric having the same length.
 17. The method as claimed in clam 14, further including the step of: providing said intermediate section of fabric between each, adjacent section of said pair of arms or said pair of legs with fabric having different lengths.
 18. The method as claimed in clam 15, further including the step of: providing said intermediate section of fabric between each adjacent section of said main body with fabric having the same length.
 19. The method as claimed in clam 15, further including the step of: providing said intermediate section of fabric between each adjacent section of said main body with fabric having different lengths.
 20. The method as claimed in clam 13, further including the step of: forming said closure element for said storage compartment with zipper. 